Road Rage Leads To Gun Fire — In A DFW School Zone!

Angry Driver Agitated When Victim Drove Slower Speed Limit

Police are looking for a driver who fired shots in a Grand Prairie school zone in a frightening road rage incident on Friday. Fortunately nobody was hurt, but the thought of somebody firing a weapon at another car any where, let alone in a school zone is scary.

A man drove through the school zone and slowed to 20 mph as the law requires. But his slow pace angered the driver behind him who became aggressive.

The angry man pulled along the first driver and pulled out a handgun. As the innocent man sped off, he heard the shot moments before his back passenger window shattered.

What is going on out there?

Risks of Encountering an Angry Driver

Encountering an aggressive driver who honks the horn, yells, makes rude gestures or tailgates can make driving stressful and dangerous. First, the aggressive actions are likely to distract you from your own driving as you attempt to avoid the angry driver. The aggression might also escalate to a terrifying level.

As the victim of last week’s road rage encounter discovered, an angry driver with a gun is a bad a combination. In fact, 37 percent of all road rage encounters involve a firearm.

Besides the risk that the angry driver is armed, agitated drivers put other motorists at heightened risk of an accident.

Two-thirds of all traffic deaths result from aggressive driving behavior. During a recent seven-year period, angry drivers killed 218 people and injured 12,610 people.

Managing a Road Rage Encounter

Encountering an angry driver is a terrifying experience. Often the anger was triggered by an innocent mistake or something outside of your control, like heavy traffic or a construction or school zone.

Understandably, you may at times be tempted to honk your horn at a driver who cut you off or was tailgating you. Doing so, however, is not worth the risk.

Instead, you can defuse the situation and protect your safety by:

  • Not responding to the enraged driver, which can escalate the situation
  • Staying clear of the driver — for example, safely exiting the road or slowing down
  • Pulling to a safe, populated location, such as a gas station or crowded parking lot
  • Calling police to report a dangerously aggressive driver who has threatened you

If you were injured by a driver in Texas, Berenson Injury Law can help you recover your damages. Learn about your options in a free consultation.

 

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